Roger Williams University to help Providence schools improve math scores for English language learners

Thursday

Mar 20, 2014 at 9:17 AM

BRISTOL, R.I. – The Rhode Island Office of Higher Education has awarded a $145,000 grant to Roger Williams University for starting a new partnership with the Providence public schools to improve math achievement for English Language Learners.

Linda Borg Journal Staff Writer @lborgprojocom

BRISTOL, R.I. – The Rhode Island Office of Higher Education has awarded a $145,000 grant to Roger Williams University for starting a new partnership with the Providence public schools to improve math achievement for English Language Learners.

It will involve five local elementary schools.

The program, Providence Rhode Island Mathematics Excellence – English Language Learners, will create math professional learning communities where local K-3 teachers will work with RWU faculty and students to develop specific classroom strategies to better meet math learning goals and improve academic achievement for English Language Learners.

“We are very grateful to the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education for this grant and to the faculty and students of Roger Williams University for their partnership to improve academic achievement in mathematics for our English Language Learners,” said Providence School Superintendent Susan Lusi. “We are working daily to improve the education we provide to our ELL students and deeply appreciate the support of RIOHE and the partnership of Roger Williams University in this effort.”

The Latino Policy Institute (LPI) at Roger Williams University released research in 2013 that shows local Latino students score two to three grade levels behind their white peers in math. With this new research, the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education called for proposals for a new grant to improve mathematics education for ELLs in the state.

“With this federal grant, the Rhode Island Office of Higher Education is specifically targeting improved teaching and learning in mathematics for elementary school students who are English Language Learners,” said Clark Greene, interim Commissioner for Higher Education. “The goal for the funded projects is to ensure professional development opportunities are not only responsive to the needs of districts and schools, but also inform our educator preparation programs. We have a collective responsibility in higher education to strengthen teaching and learning in K-12.”